Mistakes
by Continental Drifter
Summary: A female sabre has left her territory, fleeing in fear. She's landed in an unexpected place where she meets Diego.
1. Waterfall Drama

_Fool, fool, fool…_

_What have I done?_

_Fool, fool, fool…_

Shira glanced around the silent forest in anxiety. The treetops were silent, the green bushes were silent, and not even the animals were speaking a word. Shira stared in bewilderment at the body of the sabre-toothed-tiger that lay in front of her.

_What have I done?_

'Err,' Shira said, awkwardly. 'Wake up, Toca. Please…wake up!'

It was no good. She knew that the sabre wasn't sleeping.

'What am I going to do?' Shira asked herself, worry filling her voice. 'Starka will kill me!'

It had just been an ordinary hunting day for Shira when she came across Toca's lifeless body. She was afraid after that, and decided to stay with the body.

And then she made her mistake.

Shira had wondered if the elderly monkey that lived in the oak tree was right. The monkey had told her if she dipped a paw in the blood, and drew a circle over the body, it would come back to life. Of course, Shira never believed mystical things like that. She disliked the practise of magic. But she attempted it, anyway.

_Fool, fool, fool…_

After she rubbed the circle, blood drained her face. What had she done? She should've never believed that crazy monkey! It was a trick, a stupid, obvious trick, and she'd fallen for it! Those monkeys!

Things came into order in her mind.

The circle represented kill. Sabres drew circles over their kill when they didn't have time to carry it back. If another sabre came across it, then they would realise it was not theirs, and carry on hunting. If they were mistaken that it was theirs, they would have to smell the DNA in the blood, searching for the sabre's trace.

What had she done?

It was going to look as if she killed Toca. It was all there! The circle, along with her DNA! Life was not good.

'Shira!' came a deep voice close by. 'Where are you? Shira!'

Panic stricken, the sabre didn't know where to go. Her golden fur was reflecting onto the ground as she moved around quickly.

'I can't go back home,' Shira thought to herself. 'They will kill me when they see Toca. I will die if I remain here. I'll be banished.'

Shira trembled and came to a decision. She braced herself and sprinted away, running aimlessly to a distant location where nobody would ever track her down.

And as her pack says, she never returned.

Sid was walking along a green bushland area, collecting fruits. He was starving and nobody had waited for him-again- and now it was time to eat. Diego was busy sleeping, as cats normally do. Sid chuckled to himself as he threw a bad apple out of the bush. That Diego- he was always sleeping nowadays.

Sid heard water. He followed the noise, and came across a cool, running river. It was so inviting- the blue reflective sensations looked as if it were asking him to come in. And so, Sid, who could never resist temptation, dove in and had a long nice swim.

And slowly, he fluttered off to sleep in the river.

Shira sprinted. She hadn't stopped once. It had been hours and she'd heard Starka scream when he saw Toca's body. It was frightening, and made Shira run faster. Finally, the female stopped at a peaceful location by a waterfall. It looked secluded and quiet, a good place to think.

The tired sabre flopped herself down onto the soft grass, and stared into the water, staring at her reflection. Reflections definitely helped when in deep thinking. She stared, searching for something, something to make her realise a relief.

But she could see none.

Frustrated, she slammed a paw down into the water, distorted her beautiful reflection into ripples. She continued to stare, and attempted at all ways to avoid that horrible screaming noise that she could hear.

Diego heard it first. He was the only one there, anyway. Sid was screaming. At first, he'd woken up to be startled, but Sid was always unnaturally odd, so he'd been relieved to hear Sid scream anyway. However, Diego was curious to know what was going on. The male sabre followed a scent, and came across a river that led towards a waterfall.

'Help me!'

Diego heard Sid's voice screaming. He followed the river and had to stop short when he saw the long drop of the waterfall. There he saw Sid, dangling onto a rock, avoiding to be pushed down by the force of the water.

'Sid!' Diego exclaimed, rather annoyed. 'What are you doing?'

'I don't know!' Sid replied. 'I was just sleeping, and I woke up right here!'

Diego looked at Sid with a bored, unconvinced expression.

'OK, so I didn't exactly wake up here. But will you please help me?'

Sid was a long way down, and Diego couldn't possibly reach down and grab him. So, cautiously, Diego slid down the vertical slide of rocks. As he stared to go faster, he grabbed a hanging stick for support. The sabre hurled him up and reached his paw out to grab Sid. It was a very awkward position he was in, bouncing up and down upon a flimsy stick.

'Grab my paw!' Diego shouted over the loud waterfall.

'WHAT?' Sid asked.

'GRAB MY PAW!'

'WHAT?'

Shira could swear that she was going insane. There were these repetitive noises coming from nearby. Two crazy boy voices- the same one from before, and now a new one. They kept repeating the same things over and over again.

Shira stared into the water again.

'JUST GRAB THIS!' Diego screamed, waving his paw around.

'OK!' Sid said, and lunged his clawed hand to grab the paw. He had a hard time trying to grab Diego's waving paw. 'QUIT MOVING!' Sid hollered.

Finally, Sid grabbed Diego's paw, and Diego tried to pull him towards the stick he was sitting on. But the pressure upon the stick was too hard, and they fell into the waterfall together. Down, down, down they plummeted into the water.

Shira couldn't take this noise anymore. She had heard a splash, and knew that those two animals from before had definitely failed in whatever they were trying to do. The noise was intolerable, and she was bored from staring at her face.

As she got up to walk away, a loud gasping hurled up from the water. She quickly looked behind, and saw a strong sabre and a grotty sloth clambering up.

What an odd couple.

'Thanks, buddy,' the sloth said, patting the sabre's head. 'You're a good-' The sloth turned around and saw Shira. She looked at him, expectantly, and wondered why the sabre was trying to catch the disgusting kill so desperately. 'Yikes! It's another one!'

The sloth jumped up in surprise and hid behind Diego.

Oh. They were best friends.

The male had recovered, and he stood up, shaking off water from his golden body. He was a male with a strong build and looked quite handsome. He saw Shira and raised a brow questioningly.

'You're of Starka's pack, aren't you?'

Shira looked up in surprise.

'Don't tell me Soto sent you to track me down,' the male said. He knew Soto! 'I've got nothing to do with them anymore.'

'I'm not with Starka's pack anymore,' Shira said defiantly. 'I've left.'

'Really?' the male said sarcastically.

'Yes. But I'd rather not let you in on the sob story, seeing you've already got one,' Shira shot back, looking down at the sloth.

'Best be it,' the male said. 'Now go away.'

Shira turned to leave, gratefully, but the loudmouth sloth butted in.

'Let her stay!' he pleaded. 'P-p-pleeaassse?'


	2. Dinner Party

Mistakes 2

'Sid,' Diego hissed at the big-eyed sloth. 'What are you doing?'

Sid made a fuzzy attempt to be innocent as he wandered around the grassy area as if he didn't hear Diego. But the sloth should've known better. Diego never took fakers. With one grasp, the sabre had snatched Sid's tail and death-stared him threateningly.

'OK!' Sid squeaked. 'I-I-I just think that she's a very nice s-s-sabre! A-a-and she's very p-pretty, too!'

Diego felt a panic spark into him. But sabres were proud animals, _and they never ever showed their true emotions. _

'What's the catch?' Diego snarled.

'Nothing.'

Diego hissed.

'Really, please, leave me alone, you brute! I'm suffering from my own problems, OK? You should be _grateful _that I'm even _considering_ one of your problems!' Sid replied.

'_Singleness _is not a problem for me. _You _are a problem for me.'

The two had a long discussion, occasionally bearing threats to each other. Shira knew that the sabre would win. She was a sabre herself, and she always knew that males were headstrong and proud. While they quietly snapped to one another, Shira lurked away, hoping nobody would notice her awesome escape.

Shira prodded along quietly, but she ran into two opossums. They were paddling about in the water, laughing and having fun.

'HELP ME!'

Whoops. They weren't having fun.

Shira's stomach was growling. If she caught those two opossums, she'd feed herself a cheap meal, but it was worth it.

The feline sprinted along the river and reached her paw out to the opossums. They grabbed it and Shira raised them from the water and onto the dry bank. Just as she was about to eat them, a huge female mammoth appeared.

'Crash! Eddie!' she exclaimed. 'What are you _doing_? I've been _looking _for you!'

Shira sighed. Another odd couple.

Crash and Eddie were drying themselves, panting in shock.

'We were trying to make a canoe, Ellie,' Crash explained. He elbowed Eddie. 'But _somebody _had to make a stupid one.'

'Excuse me?' Eddie yelled. 'Me? YOU made the 'engine'!'

'Oh yeah, stupid?'

'That's right, butt face!'

The boys started to fight each other, pulling at their cheeks and biting arms.

'Boys!' Ellie snapped. 'Crash! Eddie! Quit it!'

'And she's the one that saved us,' gasped Eddie as Crash clutched his throat.

Ellie looked towards Shira. She was awkwardly sitting at the river bank, hoping nobody would notice her.

'Did you save my brothers?' Ellie asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Brothers? That was one mad mammoth.

'Well, I…' Shira began. 'Erm, yes.'

'I owe you my life,' Ellie said. 'You should join us for dinner! Meet the herd!'

'I-I-I couldn't…' Shira said politely, avoiding the thought of meeting lots of other insane mammoths with possums for brothers.

'Sure! We've got somebody just like you!' Ellie exclaimed.

'P-p-please…'

'Come with me, girlfriend. It'll be nice to have a girl around,' Ellie continued. She stopped suddenly. 'And you can meet my baby!'

Shira forced a smile. There was no escape of the dinner invitation now. Shira quickly thought of an excuse to leave early from dinner.

Ellie continued talking, but Shira's thoughts were everywhere. She wondered where that other sabre's pack was. Maybe he was an outcast? With…with that sloth?

Night came quickly, and Shira had anxiously sat, alone. Ellie was away somewhere else, looking for a 'Manny'. Shira hadn't seen any other dinner guests, but she'd seen the sabre and the sloth again. The sabre had glowered at her a bit, probably jealous she'd found some delicious dinner hosts.

But then, the shock came.

Manny came along with Ellie, holding fruits and greens. Shira gagged secretly. But then, the worst of it came.

'Come on out, everyone, dinner is ready,' Ellie called.

A little baby mammoth appeared, a gorgeous girl. Then, Crash and Eddie appeared and clambered to snatch a fruit. Then, that SLOTH appeared.

But then, the shock.

That sabre sauntered in, like a grumpy little toddler that didn't want to do anything.

Shira had to admit, the whole 'dinner' was completely awkward. She lay beside the fire, picking out fruit seeds from her teeth while Manny and Ellie spoke about different things that didn't concern anybody in particular. Crash and Eddie were sitting with the bored sabre, teasing him with kissing noises. Shira wondered who they were talking about. Sid continually nudged Diego.

Just as Shira was about to leave, Ellie started to talk to her.

'Tell us, Shira, do you sing? Your name sounds just like a melody.'

Sing? Well, she loved singing. She'd sung for her pack a lot, soothing little children with quiet lullabies. But in front of them? No. But she couldn't _lie_…

'Well, I like to sing. But I can't…'

'Sing!'

'Sing!'

Taunting noises came from the strange herd. Ellie had decided when enough was enough, and had sent everybody to sleep. Shira approached a dark corner where she hoped nobody would notice her. The feline prodded towards it cautiously, checking if anybody saw her whereabouts.

Just as she was about to lie down and sleep, she sensed a masculine golden body approach her. She looked up suddenly and saw that sabre's green eyes glowing, looking down at her.

There was a silent moment for a second or two, and then he spoke up.

'Hey,' he said quietly. 'I'm Diego.'


	3. Conversation

Mistakes 3- Conversation

I glanced up at the masculine sabre. His facial expression was still the same as I'd seen him before- boredom. I had an urge to snarl, snap and make him chase me away so I could escape this awkward situation I had tangled myself in. But before I could react, I thought about how this guy didn't even _want _me where I was right now. He didn't _ask _for me to be here. And here he was, looking down with his glowing green eyes, saying hello. Or hey. So I tried being friendly.

'Hi,' I replied, still lying down on the ground. 'I'm Shira.'

Pause. I gave myself a mental sigh. And if _guys _wonder why _girls _are unsociable, think again. If this conversation was going to be an epic fail with a mere couple words said, it may as well be a short nod to one another.

It was just getting worse by the second. Girls to the rescue time.

'How do you know Soto?' I asked.

Oh, darn. Bad thing to ask. I already told him I had nothing to do with Starka and Soto anymore. And he didn't believe me. I didn't blame him either, but now he was going to be convinced that I was still working for him.

Diego's expression turned surprised, and then he narrowed his eyes.

'I used to be in his pack. Why do you want to know?'

I was about to snap back 'Well, excuse me, girlfriend, I'm just trying to make conversation!' but I held my breath and bit my tongue, hard.

'I was simply wondering. I mean, not that I'm _working _for them or anything…' I dragged on. Great work, Shira, I mentally snarled to myself. I _sure _look innocent _now._

I soon came to realize on the first couple minutes of meeting Diego, his unique power was a very unconvinced, death-staring technique. As I gabbled on, he looked down at me, his eyes staring down at me as if to say 'Shut up and tell the truth.'

I gabbled on and realized his expression.

'Excuse me?' I cried. 'What are you trying to do?'

'You're acting sus,' he accused.

'Oh, thank you,' I chortled mockingly. 'Why _wouldn't _I be?'

He gave another threatening death stare. That silenced me. But I wasn't too happy to be shut up. As a sabre, it was general instinct that we hated being the loser. So, I started up again.

'If I _was _sent by Soto, what would you do?' I asked.

His eyes turned cold.

'Kill you.'

'Then go for it,' I challenged. Darn. Another stupid mistake. He was a male, and his sabres were stronger than mine, so he'd take me down in two seconds.

'I can't,' he replied, coolly.

'Why not?' I asked. I had to admit, a lot of relief washed over me after he said that.

'Because you're a girl.'

Gee. Thanks man.

'I'm…a girl?'

Oops. That came out wrong.

'Well, duh. What do you think you were? A donkey?'

I was tempted to reply back a dumb, 'Mmmhmm', but I chose not to.

'Of course I know I'm a girl, idiot! What's wrong with attacking a girl?' I snapped.

Diego smirked, which made me more annoyed. 'Then I'd be a girl basher.'

'Oh. Charming.'

'Exactly.'

'Mmmhmm. Yeah. I got it. I'm going to sleep now.'

I had hoped he would say a flat 'OK' but I could sense he was still there, watching me sleep.

I turned. 'Excuse me? Ever heard of personal space?'

He paused a minute and gave that irritating smirk that drove me to the moon and back.

'No.'

I gave a snarl and pounced on him. But I should've cleared up right away that I am NOT a hunter. I cannot attack at all. I am terrible, and if you saw me, I'd be worse that a cat playing with yarn. In fact, if I did play with yarn, the yarn would kill me.

As I tried my best to look professional with attacking, I realized that Diego was still standing; looking at me like I was a retard, the same way Kovu looked at Kiara in Lion King 2.

Just then I noticed that I was attacking very lamely. I was gnawing at his front paw, rolling myself all over the dusty earth, while he stood there, with a questioningly look on his face.

I immediately retreated.

'Ahem. Excuse me. I just had a sudden epiphany,' I said solemnly.

'Ah. I guess we all get those once in a while, hmm?'' he replied.

I shot a look at him.

'If you want to learn how to hunt, meet me at the lake tomorrow morning. It's just around the corner, across the waterfall. You want to come?' Diego asked.

I was a bit embarrassed that he was offering me how to learn to hunt.

'Fine. Okay,' I replied stubbornly.

'Good. See you then. Goodnight,' he said, and walked off, shaking the slobber off his front paw.

I sighed, and tried to get a goodnight sleep. But secretly, I was keen on getting a hunting lesson.

Well. Hope my luck's up for the morning.


	4. Hunting Lesson

Mistakes 4- Hunting Lesson

Dusk.

Shira woke up, stretched a bit and gave a quiet yawn. She blinked sleepily a couple and times, and suddenly saw Diego standing right in front of her.

She gave a shriek.

'Shut up!' yelped Diego, panicking, as he glanced around at the herd to see if anybody had heard. 'Are you coming, or not?'

Shira remembered. Today was the day of her 'hunting lesson' from Diego. She had a quick recap of the embarrassing situations that occurred the day before.

'Of course,' Shira replied, softly, so nobody heard.

Shira followed Diego as he led the way into the forest path that would lead to the lake.

Sid woke up. He had felt a slimy lizard clamber over him, and he picked it up and flung it away. Now that he was awake, he glanced around the camp briefly. Sid was just about to fall asleep again before he realized Diego was gone. And so was Shira.

Sid's mouth turned into a perfect 'o' shape, as he was surprised they were both gone. Did Diego chase the girl away? Or was he in the mood for love? Sid gave a practically girly giggle (like the one in the trailer, Ice Age 4- the scene of Diego and Shira), and got up, mischievously searching for the lovers.

He pranced around the forest until he heard some voices.

'You have to brace yourself carefully in the bushes- try not to touch anything. I always clear the path before I move. It's easier- wait, you're rattling the bush. And-'

Diego gave a sniff in the air, and gagged. 'What is that _smell?_' he asked. The sabre shook his head roughly, but suddenly hesitated, and his eyes grew cold.

'What? Don't push me into the river again, okay? Just because I slipped in some mud, I had a small patch of dirt on my fur. But I don't want to be pushed into the river.'

Shira? Sid smirked. Of course they were together! Sid leaned a little further across the tree he was hiding behind, but screamed as he saw Diego staring at him, right in his face.

'Oh! Um…HI DIEGO!' Sid exclaimed. 'Beautiful morning, don't you agree?"

'Sid!' Diego growled. Behind him, Shira sat down on the soft patch of grass. She got herself prepared for a long argument.

'Okay, cool it Diego, I was just having my usual morning walk, okay, and you just happened to be in my way…' Sid started.

'Usual morning walk? You don't wake up until lunchtime!' Diego said, loudly. He was annoyed at Sid for following him and Shira. What a little jerk. 'And happened to be in the way? You followed us!'

'Diego, gee, I was just curious, I thought…well…you know, I thought you two were…' Sid started but stopped instantly.

'What?' Diego snarled. It was rhetorical, a Diego rhetorical, and you weren't supposed to reply.

'I thought you two were-'

'SHUT UP!' Diego hollered suddenly, panic-stricken. He added in a lower voice. 'Shira's right behind us, stupid. I'm teaching her to hunt.'

'Okay,' Sid replied, and attempted to walk away.

'Not so fast, sloth,' Diego said swiftly. 'What are YOU doing here?'

'You don't have to know. I have rights of privacy!'

'Sloths don't have rights. They go with the flow.'

'Oh yeah, buck tooth?' Sid yelled loudly. He raised his clawed hands into fists to fight. 'BRING IT!'

Diego gave a long snarl.

Sid dropped his fists.

'Never mind,' Sid said. 'I'm tired of fighting.' With that, the sloth walked off, proceeding towards the waterfall behind Shira.

'Not so fast, slo-' Diego began, but was cut off.

As Diego went to follow Sid to continue the unfinished argument, he stepped on a passing snake. It gave a long, scary hiss, and Diego did not expect it, nor did he know it was there. Suddenly, he pounced forward, frightened, but realized he had just run into Shira- nose against nose, lips against lips. A kiss.

It was extremely awkward, and Shira was extremely surprised too.

Diego realized it was the first time he'd properly seen Shira's face, and with one glance, he realized he couldn't look away. His eyes were captivated into Shira's dazzling blue gem eyes. It seemed impossible to tear away. Not for Shira, though. She gave a small blush, a crimson that glowed in her white face. Then, she turned away, and reluctantly, Diego turned too, his face going a deep red too as he faced the ground.

Sid started to giggle loudly, bubbles of laughter exploding from his mouth. Diego had heard enough, and pounced onto him, sending him into the water. Sid made it to the surface, and sprinted away, back to the herd, frightened of what would occur next.

Finally, some personal time, Diego thought.

And so, the lesson started.

Diego explained what angles you needed to hunt upon. If the wind was blowing east, you would hunt east, so the scent would trail away into the wind. If there was no wind, cover your scent. And Shira, slowly improved upon her skills. Her attacking skills improved too.

She learned to pounce, where to grab from, and where to bite for kill. How to make a painless quick death, and a long death- obviously, Diego wasn't the experimental figure.

Slowly, she proceeded to become an amateur hunter.

Later in the day, Diego found an icy ground. Shira had trouble balancing upon the ground, and she occasionally slipped upon the ice. Finally, she found her balance, even though she was a little bit shaky. As Diego explained what to do, lifted a paw to demonstrate, but lost balance himself, and skied into Shira again. Shira toppled over onto the ice, and Diego found himself standing over her.

'Well…' Shira began. 'Is that what I have to do?'

Diego looked sideways, embarrassed. 'Uh, yeah. It's called a double diversion. Most sabres use it on the field.'

So the two continued, throughout the day, and during the few hours spent together, Shira's progress grew. And absentmindedly, Diego's fondness grew for Shira too.

The ice hunting course was complete and Diego moved on towards the next course. He chose the snow, and immediately, he recognized this was Shira's strong point. He was explaining how to camouflage to Shira, until he glanced around and couldn't detect her. Nor her scent.

'Um, Shira? Where are you?'

Suddenly, out of the blue, Shira leapt out from the snow, and pinned Diego down expertly. She panted, tired from tunneling through the snow.

'How was I?' she panted, excitement in her voice.

Diego gave a small grin. 'Great!'

Shira leapt off Diego and allowed him to get up. Just then, they saw Sid rolling downhill like a snowball.

'Sid!' Diego shouted to him as he flew down the snowy hill. 'What are you doing?'

'RUN!' Sid screamed, fear clutching his throat. 'Just RUN!'

'Why?' Diego shouted back, but the reply was inaudible. But if he did answer, it was too late.

Stampeding down the hill was an unbelievably huge, short-faced bear.


	5. Unexpected Fallings

Diego couldn't breathe.

The short faced bear was a well known predator amongst saber-toothed-tigers. But this one? It was huge!

Stampeding down the hill, crushing tall trees into smithereens was possibly the rarest, and definitely the biggest short faced bear Diego had ever come across. The bear was a dark chestnut brown, and looked extremely heavy in weight. As it crushed boulders on its journey down the sloping snow hill, Diego could instantly tell that you would be crushed into dust if you got squashed by this bear.

The bear caught sight of Diego and Shira, who were standing still and frozen. The carnivore gave a loud, deafening roar, and that was the cue for Diego and Shira. The two sprinted down the hill, sliding down its slippery surface.

As action packed as the day had become, it had also become Diego's most feared. Meeting them down the hill was Sid, shivering, and his teeth chattering.

'MOVE, SLOTH!' shouted Diego as he drew closer, faster and faster.

'IT'S A DEAD END!' Sid screamed back.

Shira and Diego stopped where Sid was. Sure enough, it was a dead end. There was a short rocky cliff with a long descent of a thin ice sheet some fifty meters beneath. It was a dreadful fall, most likely a fateful one.

The bear met up with them, and as it got its balance back, it stood upon its hind legs and gave another loud roar. Snow shook and rocks chattered upon the earth. Shira leapt in front to face her defiant foe. She let off a piercingly frightful snarl, one that Diego never heard before.

Bad mistake.

The bear accepted the challenge and lunged forward at Shira and the others. The pressure upon the small cliff edge was too much, and it cracked, letting the rest fall down to the thin ice sheet.

Diego, Sid, and Shira all screamed in unison, as they plummeted down into their fate.

The cliff edge slammed against the ice sheet, instantly cracking it and sending many thin sheets scattering around the long area.

'We're trapped,' Diego shouted, balancing carefully on an ice crack.

'Sid's found a way,' Shira called back, paddling her iceberg towards the earth Sid was swimming towards.

The three made it to land, drowning in disbelief and shock.

'We actually survived the fall,' Sid said. 'I mean, come on, guys! This is amazing!'

Well, it could've been. A familiar roar came from behind them. Standing behind Diego as the same short faced bear, who was drowning in furious rage to kill his foes.

Sid yelped and hid for protection. Shira backed up against the cliff wall. Diego tried backing up, but tripped upon a tree root that made him get trapped into a thorny vine bush. With the sudden noise that occurred in the five seconds, the bear called for war, and started to lunge to attack Diego, who was at his weak point- trying to escape the thorny bush and trying to get away from the bear.

'Look for its blind spot,' Shira was murmuring to herself, watching Diego being attacked. 'Look for its blind spot.'

Shira looked up, with renewed courage, and detected the bear's blind spot. She lunged for it, biting and scratching, doing everything she learned from Diego. The bear found its new enemy, and proceeded to swipe towards Shira.

Shira knew she was trapped now. The bear was closing in on her. The feline attempted to lunge again, but the bear grabbed her neck. In this action, he lost balance, and tumbled down into the thin ice sheet.

Down, down, down the two plummeted into the icy water. Down, and never to be seen again.


	6. Distraught Diego

This is going to be a short chapter, readers. No, this is not the end. I plan to make more chapters when I have time. I am also thinking that I will make a happy version and a sad version of this fan fiction story. Maybe in the next chapter, I will make the happy version and the ending, and then after that, do the sad version.

Or I could make a whole other fan fiction.

Anyway, enjoy it!

Again, I apologize for its shortness.

If Diego had to choose which the worst day of his life was, it would be this one, then and there.

The male sabre stared across the icy water, where a misty fog hovered over it. Scanning the still water, Diego's heart pounded.

'Sid,' Diego ordered. 'Help me out here.'

Sid was onto it immediately. He sat on a rock and stared out to the beyond- the endless watery region. The two friends stood there, staring and waiting for a single movement to disturb the water's spooky stillness.

But nothing came.

'Diego,' Sid said quietly.

'She's got to be there.'

'Diego,' Sid tried again.

'Sid, she's in there, I know she is!' Diego yelled and his voice suddenly rose with desperation.

The sloth put his paws into his lap and simply looked down at the dusty ground sadly. Diego's eyes widened with fear at the fact that Sid might be right…she may be lost forever. His throat suddenly felt tight, his stomach hollow, and his heart tearing at the thought of this. He quite fancied this intelligent and witty feline, and now, as if a curse fell upon him, she was gone?

Sid picked himself up and started to walk away.

'Sid, where are you going?' Diego asked urgently.

'Home, back to where the herd is,' Sid replied. The sloth noticed Diego's fear and worry, something he had never really seen. Diego was always strong and proud, but now, he'd lost all control of his emotions. Sid gulped. 'Diego,' he said, gently. 'I'm sorry.'

Diego's emotions were set aside with anger. He snarled, and clutched Sid's throat. 'She's in there! She IS! I know it, Sid! Don't give up on me!'

Sid's big eyes began to tear up after Diego let off his tight grasp. A pang of guilt flooded into Diego. He shouldn't have acted like that. However, that wasn't the reason Sid was becoming emotional. It was merely because he was distressed at Diego's unstoppable determination that Shira was still out there.

Sid stood there a little longer, and he glanced at Diego. The poor saber was sitting down, his tailed tucked around his hind legs, and his back hunched. His paws were tightly placed next to each other, as if they were tied together. But above that, Diego's face was pale, his eyes wet, but holding back tears.

The tiger turned to face Sid, and he almost looked childish, like a lost little cub looking for something to hope for.

'She's out there, Sid,' the tiger whispered, his faint words barely audible. 'She is.'

Sid couldn't take it anymore, and he bolted away from the distraught tiger he thought he once knew.


	7. Saving Shira

The ending chapter is here! Please enjoy the last chapter, and yes, I know it is very unrealistic, but live with it, okay.

Diego sat by the river, staring out across the river. It was nighttime now, and life was not looking good.

'Hey, buddy,' a voice came from behind the lost saber.

The male spun around, only to see Manny the mammoth standing close by. He looked concerned, both for his friend and for Shira's life. Not as concerned as Diego, though.

'Hey, Manny,' Diego replied, his head drooping low. He had felt a little bit better now, better than the previous hours. But not fully recovered.

'You know, I was just thinking, maybe you can drop back to the herd…' Manny began, quietly. 'It is late. You should be back soon. We'll get someone to stand by and watch. That'll be okay, right?'

'No way,' Diego shot back, panicking. 'No. I'm going to sit here, and if anyone is to see Shira- it'll be me.'

'Sure, sure, buddy,' Manny said, defensively. 'I mean, we're having a big meal tonight, it'd be really good if you were there…'

The mammoth went on with persuading Diego to come and join them, but the saber had blacked out his words, and just stared across at the invisible river. A crisp blackness had enveloped them all, and nothing was to be seen, not a movement.

'And you know, Diego, Peaches would…'

Diego continued to stare across the open river.

'Honestly, you really gotta…'

PLONK!

Diego's ears perked. Was that water?

PLONK!

The saber squinted his eyes across the water, and saw a few small bubbles appearing. Then, they disappeared. But then…

PLONK!

In a blink of an eye, the saber leapt into the water, startling the mammoth.

'DIEGO!'

But no matter how hard Manny yelled, Diego was out of reach. He was in the water, metres deep, swimming hard towards anything…

He scanned the murky water, and caught sight of a huge, unconscious or most likely dead bear.

It had its huge paws crossed across its chest, and lay lifeless on the bottom of the river. The bear's head was to its side, and underneath its chin, behind its paws, were where the bubbles came from.

The saber paddled deeper, his breath running shorter and shorter.

As he approached the bear, he noticed another unconscious figure beneath the bear's crossed paws. A saber toothed tiger- Shira. His heart leaped inside of him, and he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

The bear's limp paws released its grip, and the white saber was pulled free. Breath was out of reach, and with every last stride Diego could maintain, he dragged Shira above water.

The night's stars were twinkling, and with every painful move, the stars became bigger and sparkled more. Closer, so close.

Finally, the saber shot his head up high, and dragged every breath in gratefully. Manny saw Diego, and shouted out his name. The saber paddled to the shore, dragging the unconscious saber in the water.

Finally, he pulled in to the riverbank.

There, he gasped, spluttering out water, barely breathing, but alive.

He glanced towards Shira, who was lying on her back, coughing.

Alive.

She was alive, and that was what counted most.

She closed her eyes hard, and coughed out more of the river's water. She was alive, after lying in the dead bear's grip for over six hours, she was alive!

Diego regained composure and gave a smile to Shira.

She caught sight of him, and returned a grateful, but unstable smile back from her shivering nuzzle.

'Thank you,' she whispered to Diego. 'And thanks for the lessons. What now?'

He got up and stood at her head, looking down into her sapphire eyes.

'Get up,' he commanded, playfully.

'Why?' she demanded, recovering quickly.

He smirked.

'Swimming lessons,' he told her, and she smiled and they both laughed.

'Sure,' she agreed, and stood up, shaking the dripping water off her body. 'You can demonstrate.'

With that, she shoved him back into the water, making him get soaked again. He cursed under his breath, shivering in the freezing cold water.

The rest of the herd was gathered, and they laughed as Diego paddled furiously around in the river. As they were all gathering to leave as quickly as they'd arrived, Shira dropped her head close by Diego, who was still paddling.

'Thanks, softie,' she purred, and nuzzled his wet face.

'Anytime,' he replied. 'Anytime for you.'


End file.
